Sacrifices
by AlexisPryce
Summary: When it comes between love and his career, McGee makes a difficult choice. Rated M for future content.
1. Chapter 1

"Tony, that is none of your business," Ziva sat behind her desk, tapping a pen on her desk as she eyed her nosy fellow agent, "Don't pick on McGee."

"But it's so much fun!" A few taps of the keyboard, and Tony was in. "Cake. McGee is way too predictable." Navigating to Special Agent Timothy McGee's e-mail account, he scrolled through a folder of personal e-mail, pursing his lips. Most of them were from his sister, but there were a couple with images of furniture. He frowned.

"All that work, and I only found out he's re-decorating his place with Mason Design. Great."

"Yes, all that work," rolling her eyes, Ziva heard the elevator ding. She glanced over her shoulder to see a nervous-looking McGee entering the area. "Tony," she whispers harshly.

The Senior Field Agent was on top of it, already pushing himself to a rolling stop at his own desk, having re-locked the personal computer of Agent McGee. As the younger agent walked into the room, he sighed, "I hope you didn't superglue my keyboard again, Tony."

"I would do nothing of the sort, Timothy."

Sitting down, McGee tested the keyboard with a light tap of his fingers before logging in. He changed the password with a glance at Tony, dropping his bag on the floor. Slightly unzipped, the bag fell over and spilled its contents.

The ever-curious Anthony DiNozzo was quick on his office chair wheels to roll over and begin picking up the items which fell from the bag. A slip of yellow carbon paper was among the effects, and it was the one which first caught Tony's eye. Opening it, he raises both eyebrows. "Big spender…what the heck did you buy for yourself at Cartier, McGee?"

Ziva looked up from her desk, having ignored the two of them until that moment. She paused in her writing and leaned in a little to listen.

McGee sighed and reached for the things on the floor, awkwardly leaning down to grab them. He picked up the bag and began stuffing his brown-bagged lunch, thermos, and spy novel back into the knapsack. "That is none of your business."

"That is what I told him," Ziva interjected.

Tony chuckled and folded up the receipt to hand it back. Just as he was getting ready to wheel his chair into the appropriate position, he spotted a red box on the floor. Bending a knee and kneeling to the floor to reach under the desk, his hand was quicker than McGee's. He snatched up the red leather Cartier box and smirked, "I'm betting diamond-studded custom cufflinks for the Elf Warrior. What do you think, Ziv…" He trailed off slowly and blinked a few times at the open box.

"Tony!" It came out much whinier than Tim had intended, but he stood to try and grab the box from Tony.

Agent Gibbs had a cup of coffee in-hand as he walked into the bullpen. Ziva and McGee were both standing, their eyes on DiNozzo. Slowing his pace to a stop, Gibbs' gaze narrowed. He lifted his coffee cup to his lips and took a slow sip before speaking, "Are congratulations in order, DiNozzo, or has he turned you down?"

Snatching the entire box away from Tony, McGee checked the item within and straightened it. He cleared his throat and placed the box in the bag.

"No, no…let me see. What is it that you have there, McGee?" Ziva moved towards him, curiously.

"I don't understand. Why…do you have an engagement ring, McGee?" Tony stood slowly and kept his narrowed gaze on his fellow agent, "Are you keeping it for someone? No, because you signed that receipt."

Gibbs smirked and moved to sit at his desk. He tapped his password into his computer and opened his e-mail account, "For an agent who once kept a secret from the rest of his team, Tony, you don't seem too understanding."

"Boss, McGee can't keep secrets," Tony whined, "He's just…not…that good!"

"Thanks, Tony," Tim sighed and shook his head, keeping quiet as he worked on his computer.

Tony slunk slowly back to his seat, sitting. Glancing every few seconds back to McGee, Tony began trying to figure out if he'd missed signals…anything at all that could have told him about McGee's impending engagement. He had never given any indication that he had a girlfriend, let alone a serious one.

Ziva didn't return to her seat. She walked to McGee's desk and reached out to touch his shoulder softly, "I wish you the best, McGee. And I hope that your first child may be a son."

Tim McGee colored where he sat, clearing his throat and tugging at his collar, "Thank you, Ziva."

Gibbs' phone rang. He smirked as he answered it, "Gibbs."

"How could you get this past me? I work with you every single day, and you've never mentioned a girlfriend or anything. Now you're getting married?"

"If she says yes," McGee muttered softly without looking up at the perplexed Tony.

Tony's look of betrayal faded slowly and he pursed his lips, "You nervous? Must be a pretty new relationship if you're not sure that she'll say yes."

"McGee has been with this girl for…about a year. Is that correct, Timothy?" Ziva moved slowly back to her desk, her eyes on Tony.

He was getting pretty tired of talking about it, and having such a conversation was certainly doing nothing for McGee's nerves on the subject, "Can we drop this subject?"

"How do you know that? McGee, how does she know that?!" Tony was just getting more and more confused.

"I believe the rise in your voice may be attributed to the fact that you may be a little jealous of young Timothy," sitting at her desk, Ziva grabbed a pen and lifted it to her lips. She bit down on it with a smirk.

"Prove it. What is her name? Just a name…"

"Ella Mason," the answer didn't come from McGee. Gibbs stood slowly and looked at McGee, who seemed surprised to hear that from Gibbs. He'd done his best to hide his relationship from the team, even his boss.

"Yeah…yeah, that is her name. How did you know that, Boss?" Tim McGee was most interested to hear the answer. He leaned back in his chair a little.

Gibbs' smirk from earlier had vanished. His expression was stoic as usual, but with a hint of 'troubled'. "Tony, Ziva. Get your gear. Go to this address," he handed a slip of paper to Tony, "I'll meet you there. McGee…come with me."

Tony took the slip of paper and read the details. His expression changed and he looked at Gibbs, his lips parting slightly as if to protest.

"Now, DiNozzo!"

Ziva and Tony turned on their heels to exit the bullpen and head for the elevators. McGee stood and put his backpack over his shoulder. "Boss, I understand that I caused a slight distraction this morning, but it won't happen again."

"That's not the problem, McGee," he said, looking over his colleague's head for a moment before allowing their eyes to meet, "You're being considered as a suspect in a possible homicide."


	2. Chapter 2

It was only a few nights earlier that Ella had come bounding into their bedroom in the apartment they shared. He'd coaxed her into leaving hers and moving in with him, since they managed to spend every moment of free time together anyway. Tim had laughed at the way she bounced into the room, wearing the shirt he'd worn to work.

"Giddy, are we?" He asked, leaning back against the headboard, the sheets pulled up around his waist.

"Maybe," she said softly, smirking, "Maybe I'm just excited that you had my favorite flavor of ice cream in your freezer."

"I might have planned that."

She laughed. How he loved her laugh. He reached up and brushed a wavy strand of dark hair from her eyes. She smiled at him and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss. Her lips were always sweet, beautiful and pink. They matched the shape of her face, both reminding him of the way a child would draw a heart. She had long dark locks and eyes to match, hidden beneath long, sultry lashes. Lying on her side, she dipped the spoon into the ice cream and lifted a bite of the strawberry confection to Timothy's lips.

Leaning down, he took a bite of the ice cream and smiled, letting it melt in his mouth before he swallowed the bite. He shifted onto his side as well and watched her as she took her own bite.

"How did I get so lucky?" He asked her with a smile.

Ella laughed, "As usual, my answer to that is…I'm the lucky one."

He smirked and nodded, sliding an arm around her waist. Her build was petite but with gentle curves, which he loved. "Well, I'm also lucky, then."

"Mm. Open wide," she said, dipping another bite for him, "Should I make choo-choo noises?"

"I prefer the airplane," he teased.

Making an exaggerated propeller plane noise, she moved the spoon towards Tim's mouth with a few turns on the way, laughing softly.

He laughed as well, opening his mouth to take the bite. After swallowing, he grinned. "You're good at that."

"Comes from years of babysitting," she took another bite, licking her lips. She cleared her throat. "Do you think you'll ever want to have kids?"

"With you? Of course," his answer came without hesitation. "As long as they ended up looking like you, of course."

"I'd want my children to look like you," she blushed as she said it, "Or else you might have suspicions."

Tim laughed and shook his head, "None. Although…stay away from Tony DiNozzo. You're his type. He'd call you a 'ten'. Whereas I'm more like a 'four'."

Reaching aside, she put the bowl down and turned back to Tim with a smile. "You are hardly a 'four', Tim." Sliding a hand beneath the covers, she waited for his reaction to her touch, her eyes on his.

McGee's jaw dropped slightly before he bit down on his lower lip. "Ell…"

Ella giggled softly. "You're definitely a firm 'eight'."

-

"McGee."

Tim lifted his forehead from the table and looked across it. He saw the familiar one-sided mirror, but he'd never been sitting on this side of it before, with this purpose.

"Did you hear me, McGee? I need you to give me a detailed recap of your morning," Gibbs said quietly.

"Tell me what's going on, first. I have a right to know."

Gibbs sighed, "Metro P.D. called with a request to bring you in under suspicion of the murder of Ella Mason in your residence this morning."

McGee's stomach turned. "She's…she's dead?"

"I sent Tony and Ziva to deal with the scene. I know you, McGee. Just explain to me what happened and we'll sort it all out."

Tim was dizzy. He couldn't see straight. Standing, he paced back and forth for a moment. Looking around, he spotted a trash can.

Gibbs sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose as Tim lost his breakfast into the trash can. Opening his eyes again after the coughing and hacking had stopped, he watched his colleague sink to the floor beside the waste bin, his back to the wall. He just shook his head.

"No, she…she was alive. I left her sleeping."

"Sleeping, Tim? Are you sure?"

He nodded and beat the back of his head against the wall. "Yes, sleeping. She woke up for a minute just before I left. Gave me a kiss goodbye. She was fine."

"Give me the rundown of your morning."

McGee shook his head slowly, resisting the urge to wretch again. "I…I woke up at five with the alarm. I had a cup of coffee, then showered. I ate a bowl of cereal."

"Where was Ella?" Gibbs was watching McGee closely, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Sleeping. She was in bed, where I left her. Before I left, I went into the bedroom to grab my badge. She woke up and asked for a kiss goodbye. I kissed her. I left." It was hard to breathe for Tim McGee. He hated to do it in front of Gibbs, but he couldn't hold back. Burying his face in his arms, he sobbed quietly.

Gibbs stood as his phone rang. He listened as Ziva spoke, nodding. "Thanks, Ziva." Looking down at McGee, he sighs. "Legal got Metro P.D. to back off. We're claiming jurisdiction."

"I need to see her. I need to know…what happened. Who did this to her," McGee said, looking up. He pushed at the tears on his face.

"As of right now…there isn't a body." Gibbs stood, "Just…a lot of blood."


	3. Chapter 3

Ziva snapped a photo of the bed, sighing. It was completely soaked in blood.

"Something is off, Tony."

"I think so, Ziva. There's a lot of blood, and no body," Tony said, examining some blood in the bathroom. He pursed his lips and shook his head.

"That is the thing," she said softly, "Too much blood. It would take a while to drain this much blood from someone."

Taking a sample from the floor of the bathroom, Tony placed a cap on the swab and bagged it. "They lived together, Ziva. If…there's some kind of chance in hell that McGee did this, he had all the time in the world."

"McGee did not do this."

Tony stood slowly and looked at Ziva, walking out into the bedroom. He frowned. "I don't think he did, either. He might write this kind of stuff, but he'd never…never do it."

Moving down to her knees, Ziva moved the beam of her flashlight under the bed.

"Cell phone."

Tony examined the dresser for trace evidence. Moving aside a shirt that he recognized as the one McGee had worn to work the day before, he slipped a pen into a string, pulling it up.

"Seriously? Ew," he muttered under his breath. The pair of thong panties that hung from the pen was probably something Tony would have selected for his own girlfriends. But the thought of McGee with a woman was…gross.

Grabbing the cell phone, Ziva pressed a button. The screen illuminated. "She dialed 9-1-1. No reception in here."

"Safety hazard, I think." Tony turned to look down at Ziva. "What about text messages?"

She shook her head. "They're all from McGee. They were making dinner plans early this morning, before he came in to work. He was taking her to 100 King. Very romantic restaurant in Alexandria."

"Probably where he planned to propose. Check the outgoing." Tony watched as she maneuvered her way through the cell phone.

Ziva's heart sank and she looked up at Tony, turning the phone to him. Tony's eyes softened as he read the message which had failed to send, but remained in the phone's memory.

_they're coming to kill me. i love you. i always will._

-

Techno blared in Abby Sciuto's forensic lab. The leggy, raven-haired beauty was shrugging on her lab coat as Tony entered with boxes of evidence.

"Good morning, Tony." She smiled cheerfully, obviously unaware of the situation at hand.

Tony had no sooner placed the boxes on the evidence table than he was followed in by Gibbs. In each hand, Gibbs held a Caf-Pow, Abby's beverage of choice.

Taking one of the drinks from Gibbs, Abby raised an eyebrow. "What's the occasion, Gibbs? High-profile case, today? Where's Ziva and McGee? And what's with the gloomy faces?"

"This evidence is from McGee's apartment, Abby. Metro answered a call from his neighbor that a woman was screaming in the basement apartment. When they arrived, the place was locked up tight but covered in blood on the inside. Ziva's still there, collecting more evidence."

Abby's expression sank. "Is McGee okay? What about Ella? Oh Gods, it wasn't Ella, was it?"

"Wait, you know about McGee's secret girlfriend and we didn't?" Tony frowned.

"No body, Abs, but it doesn't seem anyone can find his girlfriend. McGee's in interrogation. We need your help to figure this out," Gibbs said softly. He looked into Abby's dark eyes. "Do this for me. And do this for Tim."

Gibbs didn't have to ask her twice.

-

The rain was falling in the alley behind McGee's apartment. Ziva stepped out into it, her hair shielded by her NCIS cap. Watching each step carefully, she navigated past the trash bags which had been set out for collection and moved to a set of tire tracks. Kneeling, she snapped a couple of quick photos. The treads looked much wider than the tires which would be on a Porche like McGee's.

Stepping just to the side of the treads, her head turned slightly. A portion of the alley, covered by an awning, was covered in some stray grass clippings and leaves. Ziva let the camera hang around her neck after taking a photo, then pulled a swab from her kit. She dipped the swab into a dark, round spot atop the grass clippings. Lifting it, she examined the substance a little more in the light. Blood. She capped the swab and placed it with the rest of what she had collected.

Ziva felt a little bit of hope for her friend. The case most certainly didn't look good, but she wasn't going to let that get the best of her. Upon turning, glass crunched and shattered beneath her foot. Frowning, the trained Mossad agent eyed the glass for a moment. She bent and collected the pieces, just in case they had relevance. The rest of the alley seemed to be fairly pristine. With a sigh, Ziva turned and moved to pack up and head back to NCIS headquarters.

-

"Give me something good, Abby." Gibbs walked into Abby's lab, moving to her refrigerator to grab the other Caf-Pow he'd placed there earlier. He held it out to her just as he heard the slurping sound which usually signaled the end of her drink.

Grabbing the new Caf-Pow, Abby takes a long sip before she puts it down, "I just got a new set of photos from Ziva. They look promising. Look."

She tapped up a photo of the tire treads from outside of McGee's apartment. "These tire treads were fresh in the alley outside of McGee's back door. They're wide for most cars, especially a Porche. There's a small crossover SUV registered to Ella Mason, but as far as I know, it was unaccounted for at the scene. A plus. She could just be…missing. I guess that's not really as much of a plus as I thought it was…" She pursed her lips for a moment, then waved her hands and shook her head, her braids swaying slightly, "Anyway, the treads do _not_ match the kind of tires which are standard on that SUV either. So, they're definitely from a large vehicle. I ran them through the database…and they're standard on the 2008 Hummer H2. There are seventeen registered in the DC area."

Gibbs just nodded and turned, walking out of the lab.

"Gibbs? Where are you going?" Abby blinked.

"To let McGee out of interrogation. He's not our suspect anymore. We need his help."


	4. Chapter 4

"Update me, Ziva," Gibbs said as he entered the bullpen, a worse-for-wear-looking McGee behind him. He sat at his computer and began tapping quickly on the keyboard to bring up as much information as he could.

"From what we have gathered, and correct me if I am wrong, McGee…We are dealing with a missing person's case. Victim's name is Eleanor Jane Mason. Born on the nineteenth of September, 1982. Age twenty-six. Five foot five, one hundred thirty five pounds. Brown hair, brown eyes." She paused for a moment and cleared her throat. McGee took the opportunity to put her photo up on the plasma.

Tony looked up and blinked a couple of times. He stood from his desk. "That's your girlfriend, McGee?"

Tim nodded slowly as he looked at her photo. "Yeah, Tony. That's her."

"Wow," the older agent whispered, "She's gorgeous."

"Thanks."

"It seems she moved out of an apartment at 750 6th street Southeast about a month ago. That is presumably when she moved in with you, is that correct McGee?"

Tim just nodded, sending out instant messages to most of his friends and family, as well as Ella's friends. He began a satellite imagery search of his apartment area, hacking into Government databases. He didn't care if he was caught or not.

"She's the owner and lead designer at Mason Design in Alexandria. It doesn't seem that she's having any financial issues or personal problems with anyone. Any motive to kidnap her seems…really unclear." Tony cleared his throat and sat down again.

Ziva sighed. "She is…normal, as far as we can tell. McGee, can you think of anyone who would want to hurt her?"

"No. She's new to DC. She's only lived here three years. She hardly knows anyone. Just a few girls she met when she first moved here…and me."

Gibbs' phone rang. He answered it quickly. "Calm down, Abby. I'm putting you on speaker." He pressed the button to let his colleagues hear Abby's voice.

"Hey guys. Hey McGee…I'm really sorry."

"What did you find, Abby?" McGee was all business at the moment.

"Well, good news and bad news. Bad news…is that some of the blood actually is Ella's. I matched it to DNA found on her toothbrush."

"Good news, Abs?" Gibbs leaned a little closer to the phone.

"Only about ten percent of the blood is hers. The blood in the bathroom and some of it on the bed. Otherwise, the blood belongs to a victim in a closed NCIS case. The blood was mixed together when it was dumped in the bedroom. I was having a really hard time separating out the attributes, but I traced it to a Commander Martha Vale, murdered last year."

McGee looked up from his computer. "Commander Vale. I collared her killer…he was a jealous ex-boyfriend."

Ziva looked at McGee. "Perhaps we have been going about this all wrong. Perhaps the kidnapping was not motivated at Miss Mason, but rather at McGee."

Furiously typing, McGee called up the record of the arrest. He didn't even wait for anyone. Grabbing his gun, Tim ran for the stairs. He had no time to waste waiting for the elevator.

"McGee!" Gibbs stood and shouted after him, but the young field agent was gone. He moved to McGee's computer and read part of the file. "The last body was found in an air hangar near Dulles."

Tony and Ziva grabbed their gear and sprinted for the elevator. Gibbs paused and picked up McGee's badge from the desk. Nodding, he understood. McGee didn't intend to play this by the book.

-

The engine of the Charger roared as McGee quickly weaved through the traffic in downtown DC. He slowed only before passing through a red light, causing massive traffic delays and hang-ups. At this point, nothing mattered but Ella. McGee had fallen in love with her within a week of meeting her. He wasn't going to lose her.

-

"Is this the Deep Six signing? Am I at the right store?"

The large security guard looked down at the petite brunette and nodded. "Yeah, but you're about an hour late."

"I know…" Ella muttered as she hurried towards the back of a display for the book. She was clinging tightly to her own worn copy of her favorite novel. Moving around the side, the chairs were empty. The reading from the newest chapter was over. She sighed and cursed softly under her breath before turning right into a wall of man. Blinking and backing up, Ella looked up into the face of the author, Thom E. Gemcity. She recognized him from the back of the book.

"Thom!" Her familiarity with the novel and the time she'd spent with it, which she called 'Thom Time' to her friends, had removed any formalities from the way she addressed him. She stammered for a moment. "I-I meant…M-mister Gemcity…"

Tim didn't even see the girl who'd run into him. She was a good seven inches shorter than him. Backing up a few steps, he smirked at the way she addressed him. "Thom is fine." After a moment, he got a good look at her. She was definitely pretty. But she looked tired and stressed. Her hair was up behind her head in a ponytail, with formal curls cascading down her back. He licked his lips. "You missed the crowd. Lucky you."

Ella stammered a little, then blushed a bit. "Yeah. Bachelorette party last night. Is it too late to get an autograph?" She held up the worn book.

Taking the book from her, Tim smiled. "Not at all. Who am I making it out to? And congratulations."

"Ella…congratulations?" She raised an eyebrow and followed him to his table.

"Bachelorette party? Aren't you getting married?" Tim started signing the book.

She laughed a little, shaking her head. "No. I'm a bridesmaid."

After signing the book, he closed it and handed it back to her. "Never a bride?"

Ella wrinkled her nose. "Not interested in it. I want to have my own business set up before I decide to make that kind of leap."

"Sounds pretty smart to me," Tim said with a smile, standing. He packed up his backpack slowly.

"Um, if you don't mind my asking…how do you know so much about Navy Criminal Investigative Service?" She shifted her weight, holding her book to her chest.

"Good question," he looked up at her. "I'm a good study. I research regulations and standards when it comes to law enforcement. Call it a hobby."

"Oh," she nodded, "I thought maybe you were secretly an Agent or something."

Standing, he smirked at her. "That'd be something, wouldn't it?" She was cute _and_ smart. And obviously single if she was talking like that. But young. McGee was in his early thirties…he'd feel like DiNozzo for hitting on a girl in her twenties. Besides, he was hardly as good-looking as DiNozzo.

"Are you in a hurry to hit the road? I might be kind of forward, but there's a little coffee shop around the corner, and I'd love to pick your brain for a while if…if you have the time." She looked a little hopeful.

McGee's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Uh…no. I mean…yeah. I could go for a cup of coffee. Thank you."

He'd probably never forget the smile that spread across Ella's features. "Great!"

-

The tires skidded across the gravel as he came to a stop just outside of the abandoned hangar. Climbing out of the car, Tim clicked off the safety on his weapon and moved towards the open door. Raising the weapon slightly, he backed up to the frame of the door and glanced around the edge. He saw a man. His back was facing Tim as he sat at a table, tossing playing cards into an empty coffee can. Just beyond the man was Ella. She was knocked out, tied to a chair. Her shirt was covered in blood…someone had cut her in just the right way to make her bleed, but not seriously. Tim's blood boiled with anger. He had to lean back against the panel of the building to breathe. Pulling out his iPhone, Tim texted for an ambulance, followed by his shield number. He put the phone back into his pocket and took a deep breath before rounding the corner, weapon raised.

"NCIS, drop your weapons!"


	5. Chapter 5

Gibbs drove the Charger down the road in a manner that made Tony want to lose his lunch. Clinging to a bar in the back seat, Tony took deep breaths and tried to maintain his composure. As they approached the hangar, Ziva rolled down the window next to Tony's seat.

"If you are going to throw your cookies, do it out there," she said, having seen Tony's green complexion.

"It's 'toss your cookies', Ziva…" he groaned softly.

"Either way, do not do it at my head!" As she turned to yell at Tony, she paused. "Listen!"

Over the roar of the engine, gunshots were clearly audible. Two quick shots at first. Gibbs pushed the engine harder until he skidded to a stop in the gravel. As they exited the vehicle, another two shots. Running up to the hangar, Gibbs didn't bother to hide. He raised his weapon. A siren was coming in the distance. McGee must have called an ambulance…and for good reason. Ella was lying on the cold cement floor of the hangar, McGee leaning over her.

"C'mon, Ells, don't do this to me…" Tim was pressing rhythmically against her chest, trying to revive her. He'd just loosened a steel-cable noose from around her neck. Leaning down, he breathed into her mouth, her chest rising. Sitting up, he started again with the chest compressions.

"McGee!" Gibbs was on his way into the hangar, running towards his young agent.

Tim wasn't going to look up. He leaned down to breathe into her mouth once more, but she coughed. He sat up, his eyes looking hopeful for the first time. Brushing her hair back from her forehead, he smiled slightly. "Ella?"

Ella's dark eyes fluttered open slowly. She recognized Tim and reached up to touch his cheek. Before she could even touch him, he fell backwards. Looking at her hand, Ella saw splatters of blood. She looked at herself, and then turned her head. Tim was lying perpendicular to her, a bright red spot spreading across his chest.

"No…" she whispered. Turning herself over, she crawled towards him. "No!" She could barely speak…she had no voice. But a deep sob began as she pawed at Tim's chest, trying to stop the bleeding.

Gibbs had heard the shot before he knew where it was going. Without even watching the trajectory, he raised his Sig and fired off a shot at the blonde woman with a sniper rifle. She was on a balcony across the hangar. Her lifeless hands dropped the rifle and it tumbled down over the edge of the balcony as she slumped against the railing.

As he lowered his weapon, Leroy Jethro Gibbs turned his head to look at the rest of his team. It all seemed to be moving in slow-motion. Ziva was waving over the paramedics, who Tim had called before he entered the building. Tony was pressing against McGee's chest. There was blood everywhere. Some of it was dry, but some of it was fresh. As the paramedics entered, Ziva grabbed Ella to pull her away from the scene. The young girl fought to be close to her love, but when a second ambulance arrived, she was loaded into it.

Walking over to one side, he bent to examine the body of a man who was dead before they even got there. Tim had dropped the man, who was much larger than anyone on the team, with a single bullet. Standing again, Gibbs turned to see Tony DiNozzo behind him, walking up.

"It doesn't…look good, Boss." Tony said, his voice a little weary. He shook his head. "There's a lot of blood. McGee wasn't breathing."

"He'll make it." It wasn't a hopeful expression or a note of encouragement. Gibbs had absolute faith in his young friend.

-

Black platform boots shuffled down the hallway at Bethesda. Tony was just rounding the corner, rolling up the sleeves on a new shirt as he saw her.

"Abby," Tony called out to the girl before she started yammering at the nurse behind the front desk.

Looking up, Abby Sciuto saw Tony and shuffled towards him. Her dark eyeliner was running down her cheeks. She threw her arms around Tony's neck and hugged him tightly.

"Tell me Timmy's going to be okay, Tony."

Tony paused and licked his lips, hugging Abby back. "We don't know yet, Abs."

Her eyes closed tighter. She pulled back and wiped at them, smearing her eyeliner with her black hankie. Tony took it from her and cleaned her up just a little, then kissed her cheek. "Ella's going to be okay, though."

Abby looked a little relieved, but was still very concerned about McGee. "He's one of my best friends, Tony. Almost family."

He nods. "He is family."

-

The waiting room was quiet except for Ziva's pacing. Gibbs sighed and looked up, then checked his cell phone. No reception. He stood and walked out of the room, then out of the hospital. Not only did they have crappy coffee, but no reception. He pressed a button to dial Ducky at the morgue.

"Yes?"

"Ducky. Do you have the bodies from the crime scene?"

Dr. Mallard sighed. "They're en-route. Palmer is rolling them in. He's quite concerned with young Timothy's well-being. Have we been given an update yet?"

"Nothin' yet, Duck." Gibbs leaned against a pillar outside of the hospital. "Make sure everything is by the book. I'll send Abby back to process her samples after we hear something from the doctors."

"Certainly, Jethro. I will do my best. Do we have any idea…what happened?"

Gibbs licked his lips and shifted his weight, "I've got some theories. I'll give you a call when we hear something."

"Send my best."

Closing the phone, Gibbs walked back into the hospital and towards the waiting area. Abby had arrived and was sitting with Tony.

"Gibbs!" She stood and practically tackled him with a hug. Gibbs returned the gesture and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How long has Timmy been in surgery?"

"It's been about an hour, now. " He pulled back from the scientist's grasp and cleared his throat. "We're all getting back to work the moment we hear about McGee's condition. Ducky has the bodies and he's working on samples for you, Abby."

Abby nodded seriously. "I promise to do my best work on this one, Gibbs. I want to know who would hurt Timmy and Ella."

"We all do."

"Excuse me," A doctor stepped into the room. "Are you the family of Timothy McGee?"

"Yes, we are," Abby spoke up first.

The man offered his hand to Abby. "I'm Dr. Ellison. Timothy just left surgery. The bullet entered his chest at the sixth rib, shattering it and imbedding pieces in his lung. The bullet itself punctured the lung, which led to repeated respiratory arrest. We finally have him stabilized, but it'll be touch and go for a while. He's going to remain in intensive care overnight."

The team looked relieved. Abby clung to Gibbs after hearing the news. She dabbed at her eyes. "Thank you. Has Ella been told?"

"Yes, they told me," came a voice from behind the doctor. It was soft and scratchy, but audible.

As if on cue, the whole team leaned slightly to the side to see Ella being wheeled into the waiting room. She offered up a slight smile as the doctor excused himself from the room. Clearing her throat, she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. No one seemed to want to speak first.

"I'm Ella Mason. It's really nice to meet all of you." Ella finally whispered. She offered her hand first to Gibbs. "You must be Agent Gibbs. Tim thinks of you as a father figure. You've taught him so much."

Gibbs quietly shook her hand and nodded.

"Abby." Ella smiled softly and just opened her arms wide.

Abby knelt to hug Ella slowly in her chair. She smiled softly. "Good to see you again. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thank you." She looked over to Tony. "Special Agent DiNozzo. I have strict instructions to stay away from you." Said with a smirk.

That got everyone to laugh a little and Tony nodded. "You'd definitely be my type. But I can tell how much you love McGeek. Uh, McGee."

Ella nodded sadly, taking a deep breath. "Ms. David, it's also nice to meet you. You're more beautiful than Tim described."

Ziva was taken aback by this and one eyebrow lifted slightly. She smiled and nodded to Ella. "Please, call me Ziva."

"When you have the time, Miss Mason, we would like to get a statement from you," Tony observed the bandages on her arms and the darkening ligature bruise around her neck.

"I have the time now, if you can put up with this whispering." Her voice still hadn't come back. "I want to help as much as I can. You all saved my life."


	6. Chapter 6

The waiting room was silent as Tony and Gibbs sat down across from Ella. Abby and Ziva had returned to the Navy Yard to get to work on the evidence from the case.

Ella cleared her scratchy throat and took a drink of water. "I kissed Tim goodbye this morning around seven. I was feeling lazy, so I laid back down to get another half hour of sleep before getting ready to go to work. Seven thirty, I woke up and went to see if the coffee Tim had made was still warm. As I went to the kitchen, I heard someone outside of the door. A man's voice and a woman's voice. They were talking. They said they'd 'kill her when he showed up' and 'make him pay for what he did'. When they started trying to open the door, I ran into the bedroom and grabbed my phone to call 9-1-1. I couldn't get through. I knew I was trapped."

Tony took notes as Gibbs listened carefully. The girl whispered when she talked, from the effects of having nearly been strangled to death by metal cable, but he could understand her.

"I typed up a text message. I knew it wouldn't send, but I knew it would store in the phone's memory. When I heard them get through the door, they came looking for me. I threw thephone under the bed and ran for the bathroom…towards the window. They caught me, we struggled and broke the mirror…they…" She takes a deep breath. "Cut me up. Then it all went black. They injected me with something."

"Abby will determine that. Just two of them, or were there more?" Gibbs leaned back in his chair.

Ella nodded, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. The natural curl was in it after the shower she'd taken to remove the blood that had been all over her. "Two. I never saw any more than that. Do you know who they are, yet?"

"Were," Tony said matter-of-factly. "McGee dropped one, Gibbs the other."

"Good." She nodded and swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. "When I came to in the warehouse, they had me tied up. The man was…disgusting. He kept telling me…horrible things he would do to me if the woman wasn't around. And she told him to shut up. I think he was a lackey. She was the brains of the operation, I guess."

Tony frowns and takes notes, breathing in deeply. "He didn't hurt you…like that, did he?"

"No," she shook her head, "Thank God. _She_ smacked me around a little. Told me she wanted me to watch Tim die. Apparently…she watched Tim put away her boyfriend or something."

"The blood they left in the bedroom was from a case that McGee closed," Gibbs said, nodding, "He put a murderer behind bars."

Ella's chest rose as she took a deep breath, nodding. "I knew his job was important. I never knew this was what he did. He didn't talk about his cases. I thought what I read in the books was…fiction."

Tony looked up and shook his head. "We're assigned to the special cases. High-profile cases."

She nodded slowly and looked to the side, lifting a hand to wipe away a tear that neither man had even seen coming. "Just doesn't fit Tim, you know? He's so shy, sensitive. I knew he carried a gun and a badge, but I didn't know…I didn't know this."

Gibbs reached out and touched her shoulder softly. "Tim McGee is a good agent. He's a good man. And he loves you."

Looking into Gibbs's eyes, Ella breathed in slowly and nodded again. "Thank you."

A nurse walked into the room and cleared her throat. "Ms. Mason? Agent McGee is awake."

-

The room was dark where McGee was. He expected to be in the hangar. Yet he was standing in a darkened apartment, not too unlike his own. There was a window in front of him, shades drawn. The light that shown through was dim. Stepping forward, he pulled back the drapes and looked around. A street was lit by a lone lamp…it was so familiar to him. It was then that he heard soft laughter. Blinking, he looked around. Nothing. But then another soft glow of light…he looked down to see a cell phone on the ground. Lifting it to his ear, he heard a voice that he only heard in his dreams. She was laughing as she spoke about her first computer. Suddenly, her laughter stopped and she spoke quickly.

"Someone's breaking in…"

_Erin_. Tim dropped the cell phone and ran towards the apartment across the road. In the window, he could see the cord around her neck, pulling tightly.

"Erin!" He ran up the stairs, his chest burning, heart pounding. By the time he burst through the door, she was lying in the moonlight that streamed in through the window.

"No, Erin…" he ran towards her body and knelt next to it. Reaching up, he brushed some of her hair from her face to reveal it. Instead of Erin, the girl he hadn't saved so many years ago, he saw the face of Ella. The burning in his chest turned to a deep-seeded ache as he bent to try and breathe life into her. Her eyes were open, lifeless. He pressed against her chest to try and get her heart pumping again.

"Ella, please…" Tears started falling down his face as he leaned down to breathe against her cold lips again. A bright light turned on above him before he could raise a warm breath from her. The light burned his eyes. Looking up, he saw his friend Ducky.

Dr. Mallard shook his head slowly. "Timothy, my boy, you must let her go."

-

Tim awoke with a start, gasping. The tube down his throat caused him to choke on his own breath. He could barely move. His whole body ached. The nurse placed a hand on his and his pale green eyes darted over to look at her, widened.

"It's okay, darlin'. You're okay." The nurse squeezed his hand. "You're at Bethesda hospital."

He tried to speak, but the tube down his throat kept him from it.

"You've been intubated. Sit still and I'll remove it." She grabbed the tube and pulled it slowly from Tim's throat.

McGee felt as if he would vomit, but swallowed hard, his throat dry. "Ella." He said quietly. He didn't know if she'd made it through.

She placed a straw in front of his lips. "I'll send her in." The nurse smiled softly and let him take a drink before turning to leave the room.

She was alive. Tim heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't care about the extent of his own injuries or the gravity of the situation. He just wanted her to be safe.

-

Awake was good. That meant he was alive and probably okay. Ella wrung her hands nervously in her lap as she was wheeled into Tim's room. She could hear his heart monitor beeping at a steady pace. As soon as she passed by the curtain and saw him, her heart sank. He was covered in tubes and bandages, his eyes closed.

A hand moved to her mouth as she whispered. "Oh, Tim…" A tear fell from her eye. The nurse looked between them and whispered to call if they needed anything.

Ella stood on shaky legs once the nurse was out of the room. She slid her hand carefully into Tim's, avoiding bumping any of the tubes connected to his arm. Reaching up, she brushed her fingers across his cheek.

"Tim, I'm here," she said softly.

He opened his eyes slowly, licking his lips. "Ells."

She breathed in deeply. "Tim…I don't…I don't know what to say."

"Are you going to be okay?" He looked into her eyes. His hand didn't squeeze hers in return, but his heart rate had increased upon seeing her.

Ella nodded, smiling softly. "Thanks to you. You saved my life."

Tim swallowed hard and cleared his throat softly. "Doing my job."

"Which…I didn't know was so crazy. I had no idea…your job was so dangerous."

Attempting a shrug, Tim just winced. He licked at his lips again. "Never wanted to worry you. Are they dead?"

She turned her head slightly to the side. "Yes. They are. Agent DiNozzo said so."

His head was swimming. Looking up at Ella, Tim tried to keep his expression straight, his breathing steady. He clenched his jaw for a moment, then parted his lips. "I think…you should move out."

Smiling slightly, Ella gave a little bit of a smirk. "I know, I don't want to go back to that apartment either."

"No, Ella," Tim said quietly, watching her. "I think you should move out. And move on with your life. See other people."

Her eyes moved slowly around the room before returning to his. "Excuse me?"

"There's someone else. I've been seeing her for a while." There was a slight jump in his heart rate monitor.

Ella released Tim's hand slowly. Her brow furrowed as she sat slowly in the wheelchair behind her. Silently, she reached out and pressed the button for the nurse. When the woman entered the room, Ella cleared her throat.

"I'd like to go, now."


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you got, Abs?"

Abby Sciuto turned on her platform heel and looked at Special Agent Gibbs. "First tell me he's gonna be okay, Gibbs."

"He's gonna be okay, Abby. The nurse let Ella in to talk to him just before Tony and I left. He's awake," the older man stepped up and offered a Caf-Pow. "The doctor said it'll be about a month before he's back on his feet and ready to work."

The young scientist heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. "He's gonna need his rest."

Gibbs' head tilted slightly to the side, but Abby didn't elaborate. Perhaps he really wouldn't like to know what she meant.

"Okay, so…I've re-constructed the two crime scenes based on the evidence. You can help me fill in the gaps." She brought up a computer model of the first crime scene. It was a three-dimensional model of McGee's apartment. She pressed the space bar and action began. "Okay, it looks like the door was busted open. It was hard to tell, but Ziva found some splinters imbedded in the carpet that matched scratches on the door frame. They were pros. They moved in through the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the block here."

Gibbs licked his lips and watched the screen.

"Looks like they ran into the bedroom and grabbed her as she was running into the bathroom. There was a struggle and the dude slammed his elbow into the mirror. I found traces of his blood on shards from it. My guess is that they held Ella and started slicing her up there, then threw her onto the bed."

"Matches her story," Gibbs nodded, taking a sip from his coffee.

"Ziva found glass in the alley outside of McGee's place. There was an indentation in it that I traced back to a company which makes containers for human fluids, reserved after autopsy and embalming. It had evidence of Commander Vale's blood all over it. They dropped one of the jars in the alley after planting the blood at the scene. I got a partial fingerprint on it that matches the bitch that shot Timmy. They used a car parked behind the apartment to get away."

"Did they drug Ella?"

Abby nodded. "I found traces of a sedative in her blood. But there wasn't enough to cause any damage. My guess is that it wore off when they got her to the secondary crime scene, because she struggled a little against the noose they put around her neck. From what I can see, it was attached to a weight. I think the guy pushed it off of the table when he saw McGee."

"She said they told her that they wanted him to suffer, watch her die." Gibbs licked his lips.

"But they didn't know that you'd never let someone lose their love like that," Abby said softly. She reached out and touched Gibbs' shoulder.

The seasoned agent cleared his throat. "Did you get IDs on the kidnappers yet?"

Abby frowned at the blatant change in subject, then nodded and turned to the computer. She pulled up two photos. "Jennifer Riley and Marcus Scott. Scott's got a rap sheet like I have tattoos. Armed robbery, assault and battery, grand theft auto, breaking and entering. But Riley has very little record. I have a feeling she was the mastermind and Scott was the muscle for hire."

"She was an associate of Commander Vale's killer?"

"Yep. She was his girlfriend before McGee and his testimony put him away for thirty-five to life." Abby turned back to Gibbs. "It'll all be in my final report. I'll have it to you next week."

Leaning in, Gibbs kissed Abby's cheek. "Thanks, Abs."

-

"I still can't believe McGee had a girlfriend for a year and I never figured it out," Tony crumpled up a piece of paper and tossed it into the wastebasket across from McGee's empty desk.

Ziva laughed softly, smirking. "Perhaps McGee is better about keeping his private life…private? Just because you spill your business does not mean McGee will too."

"And she's _hot_ at that!" He shakes his head and crumples up another piece, sinking it coolly into the basket.

"She is a very pretty girl. I am very happy for McGee."

"You would be."

"Do you think we will be able to see him after we close up all of the business with the case?" Ziva looked up at Tony.

"He only requested Ella. I asked the nurse, but she said he didn't ask to see any other visitors. Intensive care…you're on a request-only basis there."

Ziva's nose wrinkled and she turned to her computer as Gibbs entered the room.

"Hey, Boss," Tony stood and moved towards Gibbs' desk. He held out a file. "My report."

"Already, DiNozzo?" He didn't look up at the younger agent, just turned to his computer and tapped on a few keys.

"Uh, yeah. They're safe and the bad guys are caught."

Gibbs looked up at Tony. "And you have it all written up and figured out."

Tony took the folder back. "Right. I'll look over it again."

-

It was two of the hardest, longest weeks in McGee's life. He had avoided allowing friends and family into his hospital room. How could he face them, when he couldn't face himself? Ella hadn't even tried to contact him. As Tim stepped into the apartment, he looked around slowly. Her things were gone, and the place was immaculate. There was a note on black stationary. Picking it up, he read the inside and shook his head slowly.

_Rest well, Timmy. If you two need anything, call one of us. We love you. – Abby and the Team_

Putting the card down, he sighed. They must have come before Ella took her things. They called a crew to clean up the crime scene. The blood was gone, and everything smelled like bleach. Turning the corner, he dropped his bag carefully on the floor in his bedroom. The bedding and carpet were new, the paint fresh. There was a new mirror in the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, he coughed softly and sat on the bed.

Everywhere he looked, Tim saw Ella. He saw the place she used to sit while they'd play online. She had giggled when they role played a love scene between their two characters well before they had actually ever been intimate. The first time she ever stayed the night. Tim looked up at the window.

-

The sun shown in through the bedroom window. Tim turned over in bed, sliding an arm over Ella's waist. He pulled her body back against his and she smiled in her sleep. He placed a soft kiss against the side of her neck, replaying the elements of the night before in his head. She had been shy at first, but slowly grew comfortable with him. They'd been together for months now, and Tim had wanted to wait until it was right. He knew she was the one. He didn't want to ruin a single moment of it.

She turned over with a smile, opening her eyes to look into his. Her nude body pressed against his under the covers. Leaning in, she gave him a slow, soft kiss.

"Good morning," she said with a grin. Her fingers ran through his hair.

Tim grinned in return. "Good morning to you, too."

Ella blushed, sliding one of her legs over his hip slightly. "Sleep well?"

"I did," he smirked and gave her another kiss. "You?"

"Better than ever. I was pretty tired."

"Yeah? You worked hard last night."

Ella giggled and Tim joined her. She rubbed his chest slowly. "I meant what I said last night."

"What was that? You said a lot of things last night. I think you were just flattering me, honestly…"

"I meant that too. But…I meant it when I said…I love you, Tim." Her fingers traced his jaw line. "I'm totally in love with you."

Tim's pale green eyes searched her dark ones. He leaned in and kissed her slowly before leaning his forehead against hers. "I love you too, Ella. More than I ever knew I could love."

Ella smiled slowly and pushed against Tim's shoulder, rolling him onto his back. She climbed up over him, the bed sheets falling down around her waist as she straddled him. Her hands were placed on his chest as she leaned down to kiss along his neck and collarbone.

All Tim could think was that this must be what heaven felt like. His hands moved to her hips as he let his head fall back against the pillow, smiling softly. He'd never let her go, if he could help it.

-

Unlocking his phone, Tim scrolled down through the numbers, his finger hovering over the 'Call' button when he reached Ella. He closed his eyes as he pressed the button and lifted the phone to his ear.

_The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please try your call again._


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Apologies for the double-upload yesterday. I don't know if anyone else noticed, but I think the website was throwing a fit. Everything seems to be ship-shape today...I hope I didn't just jinx it...but here's another chapter just because I appreciate you. :) I love reviews, so keep 'em up!**

-

Abby smacked the back of Tony's hand. "Those cupcakes are for McGee!"

"McChubby doesn't need a half-dozen cupcakes, Abby. Just one?" Tony pouted.

"No!" She rearranged the red and black balloons over McGee's long-abandoned desk. "I want everything to be perfect for his first day back. The man's been through some fairly life-changing events, lately."

"Getting shot is just a part of being an agent," Ziva offered, "I hardly doubt it was life-changing for McGee."

"It's not the first time he's been injured in the field." Tony sat, sulking at his desk.

"First time he's been _shot_ in the field. How did you feel after you got shot for the first time? Plus, he was getting engaged, remember?" Abby's dark pigtails flipped around as she turned her head to look towards the elevator.

It took a deep breath before Timothy McGee could coax himself out of the elevator. He stepped out confidently and walked towards the bullpen, a cup of coffee in-hand.

"Welcome back, McGee!" Abby nearly tackled the young agent with a hug.

McGee groaned and hugged Abby in return. "Thanks, Abs."

She stepped back and looked at him. His face was thinner, and his clothes looked baggy. "You've lost weight. Like…a lot of it."

"Physical therapy," he moved past her to walk to his desk, frowning a little at the balloons. He nudged a small black gift bag aside. "People are going to think I'm turning forty."

"Gettin' close, aren't you, Probie?" Tony slid over to McGee's desk and snatched a cupcake before Abby could protest. He licked the frosting like a third-grader claiming his territory.

Shaking his head, McGee logged into his computer. "Is there a current case? And no, Tony. I'm thirty-two. How old are you?"

Tony went quiet and retreated to his desk to eat his cupcake.

"No current high-profile cases, McGee. We are working on a few small issues. An open-and-close car theft case and a breaking and entering case on base at Norfolk." Ziva brought copies of the case files to McGee's desk and placed them next to his computer.

"Anything new to share with us? What's been going on over the past month? You have barely called, and when you do, it's just about work." Abby nearly bounced on her toes.

Tim looked up from his computer. Nearly the whole team was standing around his desk. "Um, I've been telecommuting to work with computer crimes over the past month. Physical therapy. Apartment hunting."

"Oo. Moving? Did you decide you need more room?" Abby sat on a chair she pulled from an empty desk.

"Of course he does. McGee's apartment is a matchbox with a monkey shower curtain." Tony licked the frosting from his fingers.

With a sigh, McGee shook his head. "Just need a fresh start. It's hard to stay in that apartment."

"Understandable," Ziva said as she walked back to her desk. "It is difficult to return to any crime scene, let alone live in one."

"Can…can I check my e-mail in peace, please?" Tim sighed again.

"Uh, sure. I'll…come back later." Abby frowned and picked up the small gift bag, carrying it back to her lab with her. She wanted to be around when he opened it.

"McGee." Agent Gibbs never was one for sentiments. He sat at his desk and sipped from his coffee.

"Boss." McGee was stoic in his own response. He dug into the files Ziva had given to him. So far, so good. He didn't want to have to explain himself when it came to Ella. Unfortunately, he knew the discussion would come up soon.

"DiNozzo, McGee. You're coming with me." The lead agent tossed keys to McGee.

Without looking, McGee caught the keys and stood, grabbing his gear. He was thankful for the interruption.

"What's up, Boss?" Tony asked, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.

"B and E in Arlington. Reported injuries." Gibbs walked towards the elevator with the two men.

-

An ambulance sat outside of the house as McGee pulled up outside. He parked the truck and climbed out, flanked by Tony and Gibbs. Moving around to the back, he grabbed the camera. Turning, he saw a young woman on a stretcher. Her face was beaten, swollen and bloody. Her hair was matted with blood around her temple. Lifting his camera, Tim hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer.

"Special Agent McGee, NCIS. Can I take photos for the investigation?"

The EMTs paused and nodded. Tim took a couple of photos, then cleared his throat. "Thanks."

"McGee, take his statement? Let DiNozzo take the photos." Gibbs headed inside the house. After McGee handed over the camera, he grabbed a notepad and approached the other victim.

The man was sitting on the front step of his house, his head in his hands. His knuckles were bloody, of which McGee made a note. Adjusting the brim of his hat, Tim stepped up and cleared his throat again. "Excuse me, sir? I'm Special Agent Timothy McGee with NCIS. Could you tell me what happened?"

The man looked up with bloodshot eyes. He nodded slightly and took a deep breath. "We were…sleeping. And um, I heard something. I got out of bed and grabbed the baseball bat that I kept under the bed for emergencies. I…I walked out into the living room and saw a guy trying to steal my wife's laptop. He saw me…" The man took another shaky breath and shook his head.

"It's okay," Tim coaxed, "Go on."

"Um, I took a swing at him. He was so fast. He grabbed my wrist and twisted it. I think…it's broken. I dropped the bat and punched the guy twice, but he grabbed the bat and nailed me on the back of the head. I went down."

"When you came-to?"

"I woke up and he was gone. When I turned around, my wife…" The man began shaking slightly, his breathing increasing. "He beat her. The son of a bitch beat her. With my baseball bat."

Tim's heart sank to watch the man begin crying. He moved over and took a seat next to him. "She's going to be okay."

Despite his broken wrist and probable concussion, the man looked up and swallowed hard. "I just want her to be alright. I need to get to the hospital so I can check on her." He stood and looked down at Tim. "Are you married, Agent McGee?"

Tim paused, then slowly shook his head.

"I hope someday you know what it's like to love someone like I love my wife." Turning, he jogged after the ambulance.

McGee hung his head slightly and closed his eyes. He didn't hear Gibbs approaching from behind.

"You know what it's like. I did, too."

The young agent stood and turned quickly. "Boss, I—"

"Someone took mine from me, McGee. When I wasn't there to protect her. I kick myself about it every single day." Looking around, he took a sip from his coffee. "Can't imagine how much worse I'd have felt if I'd have pushed her away of my own free will." Turning, Gibbs headed back inside.

-

The techno was loud in Abby's lab as McGee walked in holding a box of evidence from the crime scene. He placed the box on the table and signed it in. Before he could leave, the music cut off and Abby stepped up behind him.

"Something's wrong with you." Abby said with a glare at the back of his head.

"Abby, I'd really rather not…talk about this right now." McGee turned slowly, sighing.

Her glare didn't falter as the agent turned to look at her. "Is it Ella? What's wrong? Is she cranky lately or something?"

"We're not together, okay? I broke up with her in the hospital."

Abby's dark-lined eyes widened. She stared at McGee for a moment, then lifted a hand and slapped him across the cheek.

His head turning from the slap, Tim McGee was totally stunned. He blinked a few times before looking up at her. "What…the hell was that?"

"How could you do that to her!?" Turning, Abby stomped towards a filing cabinet.

He shook his head and followed her, his cheek reddening from the slap. "I did this to save her. She was attacked because of me and my job."

Grabbing a file, Abby flipped through a few pages. She grabbed a highlighter from her desk and highlighted a couple of sections.

"I didn't want her to have to deal with the fact that I work with dangerous individuals and could be in danger at any time. Everyone seems to have an opinion about this, but it was my decision. I made up my mind—"

Abby shoved the report into his chest and glared, folding her arms over her chest. "Read it."

His brow furrowed. Taking the report, McGee read over the highlighted sections slowly. "This is from a month ago. The attack. I read this."

"Not closely enough."

His eyes scanned the report and then softened slowly. He looked up at Abby. "What does this mean?"

The Goth scientist turned and picked up the small black bag she'd stolen from his desk earlier. She tossed it at him.

Dropping the report, McGee caught the bag and looked down into it. His heart did a flip-flop in his chest. Looking up at Abby, his jaw dropped slightly.

Abby pointed out the door of the lab. "Just go."


	9. Chapter 9

Exiting the elevator, McGee ran towards his desk. He moved aside the cupcakes and tapped into his computer. He quickly worked his way into the U.S. Postal Service database. Ella's mail was no longer coming to his address, so she had clearly changed it.

Strolling over, DiNozzo took another cupcake. "Stalking someone, McGee?"

"Ella."

Tony cocked his head to the side. "Doesn't she live with you?"

"She hasn't in about a month." That gave McGee pause. He stopped typing for a moment and took in a deep breath. "I broke up with her after the attack. Don't lecture me."

That surprised the older agent. "Well…you'd better get her back, Probie. You'll never do any better than her." He smirked and walked back to his desk with cupcake in hand.

-

It was probably the first time McGee had ever run out on a case. He hoped Gibbs would understand. Otherwise, he'd be looking for a new job. Climbing into his Porsche, he started the engine and pulled off towards Alexandria.

What would he say to her? How could he apologize for pushing her away and dumping her when she needed him the most? Tim's head was swimming. He could hardly focus, but somehow managed his way to her studio. Climbing out of the car, Tim ran up to the building. He placed his hands on the door and knocked, looking in the windows. Empty.

"Ella!" He backed up and shouted at the upstairs windows. He knew there used to be an apartment up there, but a friend of hers had always rented it. A few people on the street avoided walking in his path. He was making quite a scene, after all. "Ella! Let me in! We have to talk!"

His heart was racing. His lungs hurt. A month of therapy was good, but he had a little bit of trouble, yet. The upstairs window opened. His breath caught in his chest, but it wasn't Ella. It was her friend and former roommate, Blair.

"She doesn't really want to see you, Tim." The girl sighed. "You kinda broke her heart, you know?"

They had always gotten along. Tim shook his head. "It was…stupid. I know. Blair, please…let me see her. I have…I have to explain to her."

Blair frowned. "She's not here. But I swear to God, Tim…if you upset her."

"I won't. I promise. Please, tell me where she is."

The girl looked as if she was mulling over her options. "G Street in DC. MLK Library. She's on a consult, so don't interrupt her."

"Thank you!" Tim climbed into his car and took off towards the city. Blair watched him go, shaking her head. She pulled out her phone and sent a text message.

-

"Hey man, you can't park here."

"NCIS." Tim flashed his badge at the patrolman, who backed up and nodded. Tim ran into the library, looking around at the lobby. He sighed and nervously tapped his fingers on his thigh as he tried to figure out where to go.

"Tim."

The voice made his heart skip a beat. Turning, Tim looked behind him. Ella was dressed in a business suit, her jacket unbuttoned. Her hair was loosely tied behind her head, some of it still resting on her shoulders. His lips moved, but he didn't know what to say. Breathing in deeply, he just shrugged and looked defeated.

"I lied."

Ella nodded, looking down at the floor. She shifted her briefcase onto her shoulder. "I know."

"I'm sorry."

"I know." She looked around. "Can we go somewhere else to talk about this?"

Tim gestured for her to follow him out the doors. She followed quietly as they walked into a quiet courtyard next to the library. She sat down slowly on a stone bench, feeling a little dizzy.

"Are you okay?" Tim sat down next to her, instinctively reaching up to brush some hair from her eyes. For the first time, she pulled away. He looked defeated and carefully put his hand back in his lap.

"I'm okay." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "Who was she?"

"No one," Tim said matter-of-factly. When she looked up at him with a slight narrowing of her gaze, he nodded. "Seriously. That's what I lied about. I knew there wouldn't be anything else that would get you to leave. There was never anyone else. Ever."

"So you wanted me to leave?" Her brow furrowed.

"Well, yes and no. The attack...after that, I could only see you getting hurt." He wasn't sure how to say it.

"I did get hurt, Tim."

"I meant…worse. I've seen a lot of people close to me die. I didn't want you to be one of the casualties in my life because of how dangerous my job can be. Yeah, we got lucky this past time, but what about next time?"

Ella's dark eyes scanned his. "So you would rather spend your life alone than risk the thought that some psycho would come after someone you love? They could go after Sarah, Tim. But you're not going to push your sister out of your life because you're afraid of her getting hurt, are you?"

"I know it was stupid. Really, really stupid. And my timing couldn't have been worse." He looked back into her eyes.

She didn't respond to that, at first. Taking in a deep breath, she shifted a little in her seat. "I figured you'd find out."

Moving closer, he tried to keep from bursting at the seams. "I told you…what I wanted."

"Before you decided you didn't want anything with me."

"I'm taking that part back. I know that sounds stupid and juvenile, Ella. But I made a decision in the hospital and I'm realizing now how completely dumb it was." He reached out to touch her hand.

Instead of pulling back, Ella slid her hand into his. She squeezed it softly. "I was so afraid."

Frowning, McGee moved in closer. He repeated his gesture of pushing her hair back from her eyes. She didn't pull back from it, this time. His fingers rested on her cheek. "Don't be. I'm here."

"I didn't want to do this alone." She squeezed his hand again and leaned into his touch. A tear slipped down her cheek and she smiled just slightly. "Now, I don't have to."

Despite what his co-workers saw in him – a geeky, stammering homebody with an overactive imagination, Tim was still a man who loved. He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss, his eyes closing.

Ella returned the sentiment, sliding her hand onto his chest. She smiled softly against his lips before breaking the kiss. "I love you."

Moving his hand from hers, he dipped it into his jacket pocket before sliding the hand over the one she had placed on his chest. "Good. Does that mean you'll marry me?"

Sitting up a little more, Ella blinked. "What?"

He was definitely nervous, and this certainly wasn't the way he'd intended to do it. But Timothy McGee slipped down onto one knee in front of her. Keeping hold of her left hand, he looked up at her. "I bought you this ring two months ago. I intended to give it to you the day you were kidnapped. But today, I'm giving it to you…in the hopes that you'll look past the fact that I did something stupid and see that I love you. Eleanor Jane Mason, will you marry me?"

Glancing down at him, Ella's heart began beating a little more quickly. She was glad he was holding her hand, otherwise it'd be shaking. "Yes." She whispered softly…and after she said it, thought maybe it was a little too softly. "Yes." She laughed softly, covering her mouth with her free hand.

He laughed and slid the ring onto her finger before leaning up to hug her tightly. "I love you so much. Both of you."

Blushing, she hugged Tim in return, running her fingers into his hair. She loved it short, just how he was wearing it for her now.

"One more thing…not really for you, but…" Opening his jacket, he pulled out the small black gift bag he'd gotten from Abby. With a grin, Tim lifted the pair of tiny baby booties from within. They were black with skulls and crossbones on them.

Wiping at the tear on her cheek, Ella nodded and laughed. "Abby."


	10. Chapter 10

Straightening his tie in the mirror, Timothy McGee smiled at himself. Today, he wasn't a Special Agent. He only had to worry about saying two little words and not fainting when he saw her. He turned slowly and smiled softly.

"How do I look?"

Abby turned her head and grinned, nodding. "You look great, Timmy."

He nodded and took in a deep breath. "I'm ready, Abby."

"Good," she said as she moved forward to hug her friend. She rubbed his back slowly. "She really loves you. You'll do great."

Hugging Abby in return, he smiled again. "I love her, too. If I ever start to screw it up, keep me in line."

Abby stepped back and saluted him with a smirk.

"Wrong hand."

She corrected her salute and laughed, grabbing her bouquet of red roses.

-

For a hastily-pulled-together wedding, it certainly was a beautiful one. Ella had used her artistic abilities to manipulate a few flowers into gorgeous bouquets and garlands for the altar. A wedding party of four, a couple of business suits and a Reverend made it complete. Standing at the end of the rose-petal-lined aisle, Tim tugged a little at his shirt sleeves and adjusted his tie again. Abby stood behind him in a black dress. She cleared her throat and shook her head. He turned back to look at her and looked sheepish until he heard the music begin. Billie Holiday. He turned again and looked at the other end of the aisle. Sarah walked down first, grinning at her big brother. Her black dress matched Abby's. As did her red roses. She stood near the front of the small chapel and winked at Tim, showing her exceeding pride for his decision.

When she stepped into the light, Tim's breath caught in his chest. Ella smiled at him, an immediate blush in her cheeks. She was beautiful. Wrapped in an off-the-shoulder gown with bone-colored lace overlay, she moved slowly down the aisle, holding onto her escort's arm. Her bouquet of white roses was clenched tightly in her other hand, just in front of her growing belly.

Leaning over to the bride on his arm, Gibbs smiled a little. "Don't look so nervous. That's his job. You look beautiful."

Ella laughed softly and nodded, walking carefully. They paused before the Reverend, and Ella's eyes could not leave Tim's. When Gibbs kissed her cheek, she blushed a little deeper and stepped to take Tim's hands. The rest was a total blur.

-

"I honestly don't know if I've ever seen Probie so happy." Tony mused, leaning back in his chair as he watched the brand new husband and wife dance slowly on the lawn in front of them.

"Indeed, he is quite happy," Ziva said with a soft smile, sipping from her glass of wine. "I believe she is, as well."

The song ended and Tim kissed his bride with a smile. The small group of attendees applauded and Tim slid a hand over Ella's six-month baby bump. He rubbed it slowly as the couple made their way towards a group of family members.

Looking over at Tony, Ziva pursed her lips. "Do you think you will ever get there, Tony?"

He was in the middle of a long drag from his beer bottle. Both eyebrows raised and he swallowed before putting the bottle down. "Where?"

"Happiness. Getting hicked, settling?"

"…hitched. Getting hitched. And I doubt I will ever settle."

Her head cocked to the side. "Do you not think you can be faithful to one woman for the rest of your life?"

"That isn't what I said, Ziva." He looked a little offended.

"Then what is it?"

Taking a deep breath, Tony stood and finished off his beer. "Some people just miss their chances."

Gibbs closed his phone as he approached. Clearing his throat, he spoke lowly to Ziva and Tony. "Two dead sailors in Bethesda."

"Can't this wait? It's McGee's wedding day." Tony frowned.

"We're the only ones available. Say your goodbyes and we're hitting the road." Gibbs turned and headed for the door.

-

"Special Agent Gibbs?"

"That's me." Gibbs offered his hand to the young officer as he ducked under the lifted crime scene tape.

"Lieutenant Thomas, Bethesda P.D. Thanks for getting here so fast." The Lieutenant shook Gibbs hand and gestured towards the house, which had definitely seen better days. "Petty Officers Rike and Mahlich. We found their IDs on them and called you guys. Gunshot wounds to the chest. We thought it was a murder-suicide at first."

"At first?" Tony walked alongside Gibbs and looked over at the Lieutenant.

"Only one weapon. You'd think one to the chest, one to the head. Also, we ran checks on the names."

Raising an eyebrow, Gibbs paused just outside the door. "And?"

"The Petty Officers are wanted by Interpol in connection to an Organized Crime ring. Responsible for several bank robberies in Paris."

"Well, everyone's innocent until proven guilty, right?" Tony stepped inside. He paused and looked around the room. Blood had splattered on the walls from the gunshots, but the most surprising thing that covered the floor was not the bodily fluid. European cash covered the floor in five-hundred Euro notes.

Stepping up behind Tony, Gibbs placed a hand on his back. "Ever been to Paris, DiNozzo?"

-

**Author's Note: Thank you SO much for all of your comments. I build my story based on what I receive, and I hope you will all read my next piece. Look for 'Foreign Territory', a Tony-centric story that immediately follows 'Sacrifices'.**


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